Xerochrysum plant named ‘Ohdrejumwhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Xerochrysum  plant named ‘Ohdrejumwhi’ characterized by its white-colored involucral bracts and yellow-orange-colored disc florets, dark green-colored foliage, good basal branching character, and upright growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Xerochrysum bracteatum(previously Bracteantha bracteata).

Variety denomination: ‘Ohdrejumwhi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofXerochrysum plant botanically known as Xerochrysum bracteatum andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Ohdrejumwhi’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inWinmalee, Australia during 2002. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Xerochrysum cultivars with attractive flowercolors and vigorous upright growth habit.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryXerochrysum bracteatum breeding selection designated 02-7, not patented,characterized by its white-colored involucral bracts, dark green-coloredfoliage, and medium compact growth habit. The male (pollen) parent ofthe new cultivar was ‘OHB003790’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,629,characterized by its yellow-colored involucral bracts, medium to darkgreen-colored foliage, and compact upright growth habit. The newXerochrysum was discovered and selected by the inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollinationduring February 2003 in a controlled environment at Winmalee, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceFebruary 2003 at Winmalee, Australia and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with allcharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Ohdrejumwhi’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant:

-   -   1. White-colored involucral bracts and yellow-orange-colored        disc florets;    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage;    -   3. Good basal branching character; and    -   4. Upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in growth habit and from plants of the male parent primarilyin flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Xerochrysum cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the maleparent ‘OHB003790’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,629. However, in side by sidecomparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of‘OHB003790’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have more involucral bracts than        plants of ‘OHB003790’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more disc florets than plants        of ‘OHB003790’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a different involucral bract        color from plants of ‘OHB003790’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Ohdrejumwhi’. Theplants were grown in 10 cm pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Ohdrejumwhi’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of‘Ohdrejumwhi’ with some open involucral bracts.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of‘Ohdrejumwhi’ with most of the involucral bracts open.

FIG. 4 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of‘Ohdrejumwhi’ with all involucral bracts and disc florets fully open.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Jul. 27, 2005 between 3:00p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 9 week utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 75° F. (18° C.to 24° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60° F. (13° C. to16° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of approximately 5,000to 8,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Xerochrysum bracteatum cultivar    Ohdrejumwhi.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding            selection designated 02-7, not patented.        -   Male parent.—‘OHB003790’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,629.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit.—Freely basal branching, vigorous.        -   General appearance.—Upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 19.4 cm. Height from top of soil to top of            foliage: Approximately 13.4 cm. Width: Approximately 34.1            cm.        -   Branch.—Quantity per plant: Approximately 15 main branches            with lateral branches potentially forming at every node.            Length: Approximately 6.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately            3.3 mm. Texture: Villous. Color: 144B. Internode length at            center of branch: Approximately 1.4 cm.        -   Foliage.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:            Approximately 11. Type: Simple. Fragrance: None.            Arrangement: Alternate. Aspect: At acute angle with apex            downturning. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base:            Sessile. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern: Parallel. Length:            Approximately 8.7 cm. Width: Approximately 1.2 cm. Texture            of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:            Glabrous with short, stiff hairs along the midvein. Color of            upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to 139A with            venation of 145B and 144B on either side of base of midvein.            Color of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest to 146A            with venation of 145B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Ohdrejumwhi’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 14 weeks after sticking            of unrooted cutting.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 18 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Type: Double, composite. Aspect: Facing outward            or upward. Arrangement: Terminal, solitary.        -   Quantity per plant.—Approximately 4 open enough for disc            florets to be showing. Approximately 12 with at least two            rows of bracts open.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 8.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.5 mm.            Texture: Tomentose. Color: 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Shape/size.—Hemispherical when ray florets are fully open.            Inflorescence diameter: Approximately 4.7 cm. Inflorescence            depth: Approximately 2.1 cm. Disc diameter: Approximately            1.6 cm. Disc depth: Approximately 5.0 mm. Receptacle            diameter: Approximately 2.3 cm. Receptacle color: 145C.        -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes approximately 3 weeks            for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Quantity per plant:            Approximately 4. Shape: Ovate. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 9.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color:            Lighter than 155B.        -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity: Approximately 297 per            inflorescence. Arrangement: Imbricate, in approximately 16            whorls. Aspect: Slightly cupped with tips turning upward.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:            Entire. Length: Ranges from approximately 1.1 cm for            innermost bracts to approximately 1.8 cm for outermost            bracts. Width: Varies from approximately 5.2 mm for outmost            bracts to 6.0 mm for innermost bracts. Texture of upper and            lower surfaces: Papery, glabrous. Color of upper and lower            surfaces when fully open: 155A transitioning to 146A at            base.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity: Approximately 1,200. Arrangement:            Massed in center of inflorescence. Shape: Tubular. Margin:            Entire. Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width: Approximately            1.0 mm. Color: 21A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Stamen number: Approximately 5. Anther shape: Linear.            Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: 13A.            Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 14A. Gynoecium:            Pistil number: 1. Pistil length: Approximately 1.1 cm.            Stigma shape: Two-parted, linear. Stigma length:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma color: 21A. Style length:            Approximately 8.0 mm. Style color: Lighter than 21A,            translucent. Ovary diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary            color: 145D.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Xerochrysum has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant named ‘Ohdrejumwhi’,substantially as herein shown and described.